


All That I Can Give To You

by gonexspace



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Canon Compliant, Canon Rewrite, Canon Universe, Dystopia, Fantasy, Friendship/Love, Getting Together, Idols, M/M, Mutant Powers, Mutual Pining, Special Abilities, Sunkyu, Urban Fantasy, Useless Powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29582565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gonexspace/pseuds/gonexspace
Summary: People weren’t sure exactly when, but the modern era of mankind suddenly evolved certain abilities unique to each individual. Superpowers, as those living in fantasy science fiction novels would label them, had they not been so utterly useless. Scientists discovered that all modern humans today were born with a special ability that could either present itself at birth, on their 16th birthday or in rarer cases, even later. These abilities were small and simple that at most brought a little convenience to the individual’s daily living and most of the time were so insignificant, most people wouldn’t even find out what ability they had. Still, it was still sometimes the subject of awe and momentous envy, even if that faded quickly due to the pure superficiality of the added abilities. There was always a threat, however, of something or someone being too powerful for their own good. What would happen then?When Sunwoo decided to sign that contract and become a trainee, he thought he was going to be an idol. Not a hero sidekick. Or a wanted target by the government.But hey, at least he's not alone. He has Changmin with him, every step of the way.
Relationships: Ji Changmin | Q/Kim Sunwoo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1. Sunwoo

When the first human developed special abilities, headlines were made worldwide as news reporters and scientists alike marvelled at this new record in human evolution. For the first time, mankind itself had taken a step - and whether it was a step in the right direction, remained yet to be seen. As more and more individuals began presenting abilities or ‘warps’, the world held their breath as the international organisations discussed: were these abilities a threat, or a sign of hope and progression? Fans of sci-fi fantasy novels had read enough fiction in their lifetimes to know that whatever, beneficial or not, had a means to disturb the already precarious power balance in place currently, all held would break loose. Thankfully, after a decade or so of observation, it was declared that because these ‘warps’ were typically insignificant, they would not be of threat to anyone (or any body of power). There were whispers though, of law enforcement capturing teens from their homes when word went around that their warps were too powerful and could potentially threaten the local democracy. They were sent to facilities to be tested, never to be seen again. Either their abilities had been weaponised, or forcefully removed with little care for the victim. 

Sunwoo had lived his entire childhood fearing for his and later on, his younger sister’s lives. There was always this worry resonating in his head as his and his friends’ 16th birthdays neared: What if he had a power too strong, and everyone around him sounded him out to the authorities? Would he ever see his family again? What if his sister ended up just like him?

But his 16th birthday came and went and unlike what the scientists, news journals and doctors said, he did not manifest any warps on that day, even after a whole day of constant worrying. With a sinking feeling in his chest, Sunwoo numbly headed off to school the next day. Every question he was bombarded with, he simply replied with a casual grin and a shake of his head. 

“You don’t have any?” His soccer captain glanced down at him, his lips pressed into a thin line. Behind him, Sunwoo could see and hear the giggles erupting from the ones he once considered his closest friends. Before everything, he had been a star player, one in talks of becoming the next captain even. But now…

“I’m afraid we can’t keep you on the team, Sunwoo. I’m sorry.

We can’t have any biological lowlives on this team.”

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

Sunwoo had always been the popular one in school. His grades were not the best, but he was a respectful student and well-liked by staff and his fellow students alike. The week after his 16th birthday, he finally got to experience the cruel reality of growing up. 

For the 6 months following his forced departure from the team, Sunwoo suffered in school. He truly got to see who his actual friends were and those who were simply using him for popularity. It hurt, but he learned to get over these betrayals.  _ Good riddance, _ he thought as he waved yet another friendship goodbye, a bitter smile attached to his face.  _ More time to spend on being actually productive with my life _ .

With his dreams of being a soccer player for his country dashed and the school he once called his second home resembling something more like a prison cell, Sunwoo somehow found solace in music. On the surface, he seemed fine - the last thing he wanted was his parents to be disappointed in him for not doing well in school because he was affected by this. They didn’t express it, but he was sure they were upset enough wondering why their son was so...untalented. He needed an outlet, an unseen one for him to let his feelings out before they destroyed him from within. The last thing he wanted to do was to even fail at being a normal, functioning human being. So, Sunwoo picked up a pen and an old notebook and started writing. The words he scribbled in his diary out of anger and frustration seemed to morph into lyrics whenever a beat was playing. In the comfort of his room, with no judgemental eyes watching him, he made his first rap. And the first time he read the lyrics aloud, an uncontrollable sob wrenched itself from his throat. He wasn’t awful, but his lyrics...where had his confidence gone? What was all this pain he felt? What had he done to deserve this...defeat? 

Then, his school held a talent competition. It was open to all, but in reality, all the older students were going to exploit their useless warps and put on some kind of show to win over the judges.  _ A popular vote, _ Sunwoo sighed internally when he read the poster.  _ Guess I have no chance. _

“Hey, Kim Sunwoo,” A voice crowed from over his shoulder. The snark in it made Sunwoo roll his eyes internally. He had no idea who it was, but it was probably some popular dude who wanted to make his life even more of a hell than it already was. “All of us are auditioning, are you?”

Sunwoo turned, raising an unamused eyebrow at the boy behind him. It was almost like a scene from an angsty, teenage drama - a group of scrawny attention-seekers behind the main idiot, smirking at him like they had him cornered. 

“Oh sorry, we forgot you don’t have anything  _ special  _ to show off.” At that, the whole group roared with laughter, as though the funniest joke in the world had just been dropped. Yeah. To them, Sunwoo’s lack of a  _ useless _ warp like being able to uncap  _ one _ pen telekinetically was the biggest laugh. “Loser.”

Biting back a scathing retort (he was sure none of their pea-sized brains would be able to comprehend it anyway), Sunwoo simply jerked around with a smile plastered on his face and stalked off. Any other reaction, he would probably just goad them on even more. 

If the bullies knew the effect that their actions would have on him that day, they probably wold have regretted saying anything at all. Spite was now Sunwoo’s best friend. He didn’t know how or why, but a silent determination had gripped him. This  _ shitty, twisted system _ needed to go down. He probably wouldn’t be able to do it, but he at least wanted to  _ prove  _ those  _ idiots wrong. _ Sunwoo could rap. His mom told him his singing was nice. Why did he need to be able to do something unnatural but  _ useless _ to be deemed as talented? 

Why was everything else he was born and blessed with simply incomparable now, because of this change?

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

Just a month later, Sunwoo found himself sitting beside 2 others at a small company, watching as their existing trainees showed off their skills. There was no showcasing of warps, tricks or illusions. Just pure talent and an outpouring of passion into their dancing, singing and rapping. Nothing else. The boy in the center of the performance group of the trainee showcase, in particular, was stunning. Perhaps it was the long hair that had first caught his attention, but the focus and steely determination radiating off the other that had kept his eyes trained in rapt attention,  _ I want to be like him,  _ he thought, enraptured. Not just in his exquisite dance moves, but his soft and mellow vocals and natural charisma, even performing in front of a bunch of judgemental teenagers. No warps, just years of practice and natural talent. 

Perhaps it was because of this trainee that Sunwoo signed the contract with this small company immediately. And perhaps he owed it all to this trainee for boosting his confidence during his performance in front of the judges. Because if it were not for how outstanding his performance had been, Sunwoo would not have been able to sit in this makeshift circle before his first official dance practice session, doing icebreakers with the other new trainees. It was awkward, yes, but it was like a breath of fresh air compared to the suffocating environment he was now stuck in at school. 

“As idols, warps are pretty much useless. Even more so than they are to begin with, that is. They only have entertainment value in variety or comedy.” One of the hyungs (later, he found out his name was Sangyeon) piped up. There were only a few of the older trainees around, most of the more experienced ones tucked away in a corner of the room, deep in the throes of their self-initiated hardcore practice session. “You still have to perform on stage and fans will  _ only _ see your dance, rap or vocals.”

“But they are still fun for introductions. Especially if they’re useful at the dorm or during practices.” Sangyeon hyung seemed to heave a heavy sigh. He probably was one of those with a ‘useful’ warp, Sunwoo mused. “So...do you have any abilities?”

There was silence around, just as expected. Sangyeon seemed on the brink of heaving yet another sigh. “Maybe to start off, I can clean up coffee spills with a wave of my hand.”

Whoa...Sangyeon hyung had a ‘useful’ one indeed. Sunwoo felt a wave of pity for the older trainee wash over him.  _ Better than having none, though. _ He reminded himself bitterly, the small grin slipping off his features quietly.

Wanting to take attention off himself, Sangyeon hyung quickly turned his gaze to someone else. Unfortunately, that lucky person was Sunwoo himself. “What about you...Sunwoo, right?”

“I…” Sunwoo’s face paled, trailing off. “I haven’t got one.”

The confession ended off in a hushed whisper. Sunwoo kept his gaze trained on his fingers, afraid that he would look up and see the judgemental glances the other trainees were giving him. This was it. He was going to end up in the same situation again.

“Oh, that’s alright. Some of us don’t have any either.” Sangyeon hyung’s voice seemed to pierce through even the darkest of his internal turmoil. The elder was looking at him with a grin, eyes clear of any shock or disgust. It seemed as though Sunwoo had just stated a fact, not something that had caused him to be a victim of months of emotional manipulation and rejection. He...wasn’t an outcast. “No need to be so worried.”

The realisation seemed to bring a sour note to his nose, lower lip trembling amidst the forced attempt at a smile. Anything to prevent himself from bawling on his literal first day at the company. “Thank you, hyung.”

“It must have been difficult.” The elder simply replied, reaching out to pat Sunwoo’s head lightly. They had known each other properly for barely five minutes, but Sunwoo already decided he would follow and trust this guy to the ends of the earth. If he were to debut in a group, this hyung had better be his leader. No one except for his parents had made him cry so easily and in the best way possible. The silence that followed though, made Sunwoo want to take back his thoughts. No, the awkwardness would bring him to tears first.

“Does it work for coffee only? Or can you clean up all spills?” Another trainee asked from beside Sunwoo, clearly unable to take the silence any longer. His name...Sunwoo could not remember to save his life. 

“Uhh,” Sangyeon hyung paused, awkwardly scratching the back of his nape. It seemed this too was the first time he had thought about it. “The kids seem to only have Iced Americano running in their veins and it works for that. Tried it on a latte once for Changmin but only the coffee part disappeared - the milk was still on the ground so…”

As the other new trainee and this hyung’s chatter continued in the background, Sunwoo’s gaze couldn’t help but wander to the long-haired trainee in the back of the practice room, immersed in his dance routine. The same sharp movements and intense look of concentration had really struck a deep impression with Sunwoo when he first auditioned for the company. There was no sign of a warp or any other means of entertainment. He was simply entranced by the skill and charisma of the trainee’s performance.  _ A true idol. _ The trainee paused and glanced up, his eyes suddenly meeting Sunwoo’s wide ones in the mirror. 

_ Fuck.  _ Sunwoo swore, quickly ripping his gaze away and back towards Sangyeon hyung.  _ Fuck fuck fuck fuck. My first impression was to impress, not to be caught staring - Kim Sunwoo you absolute idiot.  _

Praying the long-haired trainee would just forget about the brief eye-contact they made and ignore his weird reaction, Sunwoo tried his very best to be an active participant for the rest of his first day. Especially since warps were not taken into consideration, if he were to be a good trainee and make it onto the debut list, these would be his potential members. And he so desperately wanted to be as impressive as  _ that _ trainee, or debut with him. 

Sunwoo thankfully adjusted quickly to the routine of trainee life, reporting for lessons and group practice sessions at regular timings after school. His extroverted nature naturally helped him gain many friends very quickly too, Eric and Chanhee hyung (who had arrived a week after him) becoming his closest friends at the company. It was truly a new experience for him, in the best way possible. An escape, perhaps, from the mess he had to face in school But he couldn’t help but feel that...something was missing. 

Perhaps it was also that long-haired trainee -  _...sunbaenim _ (because they weren’t close enough for him to call the elder  _ hyung _ ) - that he still couldn’t get closer to, despite now having the same group dance lessons. Changmin was a sturdy figure in guiding all the trainees, true to his performance capabilities that were showcased during Sunwoo’s audition. He was their teacher, guide and somewhat a mentor, even if they barely knew him personally. Changmin had been at the company for the longest duration of time, Sunwoo soon learned, just waiting for his time to debut and helping his juniors in the meantime. Whether he had a warp or not, no one knew. The trainee himself had never said and had never needed to declare it - the others respected him for his talent and finesse during performances, not for a useless ability. If anything, this just further fueled Sunwoo’s own drive to  _ do well _ . After facing such a huge change in his schoolmates’ attitude towards him because of a  _ warp, _ this was a golden opportunity for him to prove them all wrong. That he could be even more successful than they could even dream of. 

Sunwoo also desperately wanted to get to know this senior of his better - he was always seen practicing alone or with Juyeon hyung, never really making an effort to get to know the newer trainees (like himself) outside of group lessons. Dispiritedly, Sunwoo supposed that camaraderie came with time, but he couldn’t help but feel rather disappointed in himself. He had always been the funny, outgoing and well-liked one in class. Why was this  _ person _ so different?

So, Sunwoo tried a variety of ways to get closer to this unmoving wall of talent. Jokes during their group sessions, lighthearted chatter with Juyeon hyung and Sangyeon hyung, who seemed closer to Changmin and _finally,_ finally his efforts paid off when their dance leader stepped forward and _gave him a pat the shoulder saying “good work!” with a small smile!!_ When Changmin walked out of the practice room for their break, Sunwoo remained standing there for a moment or so, shell shocked. It took a questioning nudge from Eric before he broke out of his stupor and let loose a whoop of pure glee. 

“Hyung!” He yelled at Changmin’s departing back, completely ignoring the fact that one: they were barely even talking, much less close enough to be  _ friends _ and two: they had only exchanged  _ two words  _ in that poor excuse of a conversation. The elder was evidently surprised too, swiveling his head around with a furrow in his brow. To Sunwoo’s relief, the corners of his lips were slightly upturned, not a single look of irritation in his rather perturbed gaze. “Wanna go get some coffee later?”

“Sure,” the reply can easily. “I’ll meet you downstairs at 3pm...Sunwoo.” 

_ He knows my name! _

Sunwoo’s inner voice positively sounded like a squealing excited schoolgirl screaming over her crush at the moment, and he sure hoped he didn’t have as ridiculous an expression on his face, but it was thrilling. A breakthrough. Coffee with his trainee-life role model and hopefully,  _ a blossoming friendship.  _

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

Who would’ve thought that in barely a year’s time, Sunwoo debuted in his company’s first idol group - a boy group with 11 other  _ brothers _ of his - as their Main Rapper. In spite of his lack of a warp, he still made it. He debuted in a group despite a relatively shorter training period, effectively proving all his schoolmates wrong. That warps didn’t matter. And he could still achieve great things. 

As for another milestone that Sunwoo celebrated internally, he had finally debuted in the same group as Changmin hyung - or Q hyung, as was his new stage name. After that first initial coffee ‘date’, he and Changmin hyung had become fast friends. He didn’t really know or understand why, but something about Changmin hyung’s presence was so reliable and just...comforting. It wasn’t too long later when Sunwoo eventually began opening up to the elder and telling him  _ everything _ \- from his troubles in school because of his warp (or lack thereof) and his dreams of being a soccer player, to small and rather insignificant things like what his younger sister had scolded him for the day before. With Changmin hyung, Sunwoo felt like he hadn’t a thing to worry excessively about in the world. He didn’t have anything to hide, because he knew the elder wouldn’t judge him for anything he said, lighthearted or not. This hyung’s presence was warm and reassuring, amidst the jokes and even mock-fights they had every so often. And Sunwoo was very much grateful for his presence in his life, especially to have been able to debut in the same team as him, to achieve their common dreams together. From being someone he’d idolized for their passion and talent, to a friend he could trust and rely on whenever.

But even amidst all that they have gone through together as trainees and thereafter as The Boyz members, Sunwoo couldn’t help but feel that Changmin hyung was hiding something. Perhaps not from himself specifically, but from everyone. The first time Sunwoo had attempted to ask Changmin hyung about his warp, out of genuine curiosity, he only realized after they had parted ways that his question had never been answered. The elder was as much of a smooth talker as he was an extraordinary dancer and had easily avoided the question, smoothly directing the focus of the conversation back onto Sunwoo himself. Of course, Sunwoo was never one to press for details, especially not when he himself had rather troubled experiences with warps and their social stigma. But it did trouble him for a while - Was he not someone Changmin trusted? Had his entire perception that they were close friends, entirely one-sided on Sunwoo’s end?  _ No one knew about Changmin hyung’s warp, not even Sangyeon hyung _ .  _ What makes you think you’re special enough? _

That thought stung a little more than Sunwoo would admit. Perhaps a small part of him desperately hoped that he could somehow be that  _ special someone _ to Changmin hyung-  _ what are you even thinking?? _

Sunwoo let out an agitated huff of air at the thought, frantically waving the thought away before it could perpetuate even further. This garnered him a few strange looks from his members - after all, it would be weird to just suddenly sigh angrily at  _ nothing _ in the middle of their rest time at the dorms. But it still hurt his brain to even question  _ why _ he had those thoughts to begin with and he would rather not bother at all. (He was afraid of what he would uncover if he truly attempted to understand what he meant.)


	2. Changmin

Changmin had lived his entire life in fear. 

While other children his age were outside playing with each other and pretending to have warps that allowed them to fly or move things telekinetically, he spent his days studying or attending a myriad of extra-curricular activities and lessons. And as much as Changmin appreciated the opportunities he had been given by his parents, he still longed for a human touch. Friendship and kinship, outside of his close family. 

But alas, as Changmin grew older, he learned to appreciate his family more and gradually understood why he had to live his childhood in such a manner. The first time it happened, he was aged 5 and playing outside in his family’s backyard. His family’s pet dog had chewed up a flower and deposited it in front of him, bounding in excitement as it searched for praise or a reward from its youngest owner. Young Changmin had merely frowned at the poor flower, covered in canine spittle and very much at the end of its life. With a pitying gaze, he picked it up by the stem.  _ Ah, poor thing. If only I could bring you back to life again. _ Before his very eyes and much to the astonishment of his eldest sister watching him, the plant’s broken pink petals seemed to tremble before seemingly mending itself. The twisted green stem bent itself back into shape and in Changmin’s palm rested a fresh, healthy flower - still covered in dog spit, but  _ thriving _ , as though it hadn’t been forcefully ripped out of the soil to begin with. Little Changmin stared in wonder at the miracle he had caused, blissfully unaware of the panicked call his eldest sister made for their mother. 

From then on, Changmin’s parents kept an eye on him, making sure he didn’t accidentally reveal his newfound warp to anyone in his school or to their neighbours. But when his dog finally passed on shortly after his 7th birthday, Changmin understood that his life was going to change. It had been completely unintentional on his part. He had always been very attached to his pets and his dog in particular had been with him ever since he was born. When his sister gently got it through to his young and inexperienced mind that his  _ best friend  _ was gone, he only knew to kneel beside the body and bawl, fervently wishing for it to  _ come back. _

And when it  _ did _ , starting with a weak thump of its old tail, Changmin’s family could only watch in shock and borderline terror as their youngest child embraced the now  _ living  _ dog. At 7, Changmin had barely understood the principles behind life and death, but he knew  _ somehow _ that what he had done was  _ not natural _ . He had heard the stories of teens getting dragged from their homes and from their families for doing something  _ too great for their own good _ . And he was terrified of that happening to him or his family. So, when he was sent to his room for the rest of the day and his mother had his shoulders in a vice-like grip, her quaking pupils were enough to tell him everything he needed to know before she even parted her lips. 

“Changmin-ah, you must listen carefully. You must never, never do that again if you can avoid it. There will rarely ever be a situation so dire that you will feel compelled to use your warp and even then, you  _ should never _ use it.” He recalled the warm of his mother’s embrace, even amidst the tell-tale trembling of her entire frame. “Do not disrupt the natural flow of time, ever. It’s for your own good.”

With his warp, he could do best by becoming a doctor or surgeon, with life-saving abilities that could guarantee his contribution to humanity’s success. But given the current circumstances, Changmin could only lead a life of hiding and constant secrecy, for doing or  _ being  _ more than what was expected was a threat to himself and his loved ones. Over time, he learned that his warp, although strong, was not limitless. Weeks after its miraculous recovery, their family dog passed on and even then, his abilities could not reverse the adverse effects of age. Changmin simply hoped there would never come a time where he would have to use it, for the impact it would have on his family and for the circumstances that would have to occur.

As he grew older, controlling his warp came easier. He simply needed to be conscious of his thoughts and actions. In a nick of time, Changmin found himself graduating from middle school and left before his 16th birthday. Before any of his classmates could question whether he had a warp or not. He was well aware of what would happen in either case and his parents deemed it safer for him to leave early. His parents had enrolled him in a dance academy once he was old enough, deeming it a suitable hobby for him that was sufficiently distanced from his warp. There, no one asked about special abilities or warps - all that mattered was effort, determination and performance technique. To their surprise, Changmin grew a liking to it and decided:  _ I want to stand on stage and perform. To bring joy and healing to others in other ways.  _ Despite the initial objections from his family, he became a full-time trainee at a small company after graduating and was homeschooled, determined to succeed without ever needing his warp. 

There, Changmin did his best to learn and to pass down the skills he gained to his juniors, fellow trainees with equal drive to become idols. They came and went, struggling to find their own purpose as he remained through it all. He was asked about his warp often, but simply diverted the topic. He figured that if he didn’t answer after a while, they would just assume he didn’t have one or declined to share. After all, it didn’t matter in the industry. And it really didn’t make a difference.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

3 years after Changmin’s decision, a new trainee came in. He had soft brown hair and wide doe-like eyes that immediately tugged some sort of protective instinct from Changmin’s chest from their first encounter. Kim Sunwoo was his name, he learned during their self-introductions. But Changmin had never been the one to initiate conversations outside of lessons and practices - most of his friendships had developed over the years, with the ones who stayed. So he didn’t pay particular attention to this new trainee. After all, his high school graduation exams were around the corner and he needed to juggle both his studies and his trainee life. 

The first time Sunwoo asked him out, it was fairly awkward. Changmin had lived a sheltered life and although he had close friends, the initial stages were always a torment for him. He wasn’t  _ introverted _ , it was just... _ difficult _ . Especially when the younger boy was looking at him like he held the world in his palm. Slightly unnerving, if Changmin were to admit. But he quickly discovered that Sunwoo simply was a genuine and earnest person, who had suffered through far too much pain that he deserved. They became fast friends and it didn’t take long for the younger to reveal the torment he had felt in school because he had not presented his warp in time. Talking to Sunwoo was comforting and in a sense, Changmin knew that he was someone to be trusted. But despite his gut feeling, he knew better than to overshare his life story with someone he had barely known for a few months. And so, he bit his tongue and steered the direction of their conversation away from warps, a sinking feeling of guilt in his chest.

Even after debuting,  Changmin still didn’t share about his warp - not with his members and definitely not with Sunwoo, despite the younger being one of his closest confidants in the entire team. But knowing Sunwoo’s background and what he had experienced, he couldn’t hold back the ripple of anger whenever their team was asked about warps. The flash of hurt marring the younger’s expression was something he never hoped to see again, but still had to over and over again. They both got better at hiding their feelings as time passed, but Changmin knew the emotional scars remained. Eventually, Sunwoo admitted that he did not know what his warp was, succumbing to the pressure from the press and their fans to say something about it. The backlash was manageable, yet he could feel their words cutting deeper into the old wounds on Sunwoo’s heart.

And for once, Changmin wished that he could heal the pain of this broken, cracked boy and make him feel better...happier. His powers were great, too great for his own good. But of what use were they, if not great enough to help his dear friend?

Later that night, when they all finally collapsed onto their beds after an exhausting day filled with schedules, Changmin lay wide awake. With an uncomfortable stuffiness in his chest and the thoughts stirring in his mind, he stared at the sleeping back of the younger. Sunwoo had gone through so much, yet still had to endure so much  _ more _ . The world was truly unforgiving on his poor soul and Changmin found himself fighting the urge to  _ protect _ this sweet, earnest individual from the harsh reality of this world. 

For what reason, he couldn’t - didn’t want to - understand. 

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

On Sunwoo’s eighteenth birthday, their team celebrated together early because of their dance practice. But it was a special occasion and Changmin was determined not to let it pass without any form of extra celebration. So in the wee hours of the night, once the clock struck midnight, Changmin dragged Sunwoo to a park near their dorm, where no one else, stranger or friend, would be present to disturb them. Changmin had little planned beyond the little surprise slice of cake he had brought. But with Sunwoo, it felt like anything they did would be memorable even if it was just idle chitchat. And so they did, talking about anything and everything under the sun.

Changmin didn’t know what exactly it was that he said, but it must have been something hilarious, because Sunwoo burst out into a peal of laughter and for a split second, the world around them stills. It was almost like a cliche scene out of some fiction novel that one of their fans would probably write, but as Sunwoo’s lips stretch and his eyes curve into tiny little crescents, the world around them brightens with the force of an LED torch. 

Changmin stared in shock.

The younger was glowing.  _ Literally glowing. _ And it wasn’t because he had the brightest smile etched on his face that Changmin had seen in weeks, or that he was excitedly waving around the bite of chocolate cake that Changmin had bought him and radiating pure happiness, or wait...was that it-

“What, is there something on my face?” Sunwoo quipped jokingly, sending Changmin’s train of thought chugging to an abrupt halt. The younger’s grin seemed to widen and their surroundings brightened by several watts. 

“Sunwoo, you’re glowing…” Changmin breathed, unable to stop himself from reaching out to gently touch the other’s cheek. “Shining, really.” 

Whatever reaction he had been expecting from Sunwoo, it certainly wasn’t  _ this _ . Sunwoo’s smile dropped instantly as he panicked and the world dimmed back to its natural setting too, save a slight aura of brightness surrounding him, evidence of his buzzing happiness. 

“Oh wow…” Sunwoo gasped as he took himself in, staring at his hands in wonder. Now, Changmin was beginning to think that this  _ really _ seemed like a scene out of a sci-fi romance novel. “This is my ability…! I finally found it…!” 

The younger’s pure  _ glee _ was infectious and Changmin found himself beaming with one of his signature smiles that could rival the sun. And Sunwoo returned with one that  _ actually could _ rival a small sun in the middle of the park. It lit up their surroundings, encasing the odd duo in a strange bubble of light. 

“Thank you, hyung! You found it for me!” 

_ No, _ Changmin wanted to say.  _ You discovered it on your own.  _ But he was too bedazzled by the image of Sunwoo literally shining before him to find the words to do so.  _ He’s stunning. Even more so now, with the confidence and happiness radiating from him.  _

_ I must be so blessed to be able to see this.  _

Once they had both calmed down from the initial shock, Changmin couldn’t help but wonder aloud. “Why did you only get your warp after your 18th birthday?”

“I don’t know, hyung!” Sunwoo chirped distractedly, still attempting to figure out how to control the brightness of his warp. It was still in the dead of the night and at this rate, all their neighbours were going to make police reports about two boys playing with too much light whilst everyone else was sleeping. “I think it depends on my mood - how happy I am.”

The moment the words left his parted lips, Sunwoo seemed to deflate, his aura dimming substantially. 

“Ever since my 16th birthday, I haven’t been properly  _ happy _ because of everything that happened in school and later after debuting.” The younger’s voice dropped off into a whisper at the end, as he too began to comprehend his situation. Changmin pouted, his heart aching for his teammate. So much that had happened to him, he did not deserve to have to suffer through at all. “There was so much pressure to  _ pretend _ , even for our fans.” 

“But you don’t have to anymore, now that you’ve found it.” Changmin murmured with a small smile, patting the younger gently on the back. “These shoulders have endured so much burden, it’s nice to be free of it.”

“What about you, hyung?” Sunwoo’s question seemed to snap him out of whatever sentimental mood he had been immersed in, as if dousing a bucket of ice cold water directly on his head. The sudden change in focus of their conversation was unnerving - something that Changmin could have easily averted if it were any other person. But the younger’s eyes were almost sad and Changmin swore they could see right through him. And everything he had been hiding for so long. He stilled. “How much longer will you shoulder this burden alone?”

At Changmin’s stunned silence, Sunwoo continued pressing, his hand reaching up to grip the elder’s own. The brightness around them blinked rapidly in and out of existence, a reflection of Sunwoo’s own internal turmoil as his eyes searched Changmin’s carefully blank expression. “You can share it with me. Don’t suffer in silence on your own.”

Years of living in fear of being discovered by anyone else; Years spent in hiding and living in secrecy, pretending to ignore any questions about his warp. Was Changmin going to risk it all, to put his own freedom and his family’s lives in the hands of his teammate? 

Changmin sucked in a deep breath as a million thoughts raced through his head - calculating, thinking,  _ feeling _ . This was Sunwoo, someone whom he trusted with his life and had also trusted him with his own emotional baggage. Sunwoo would never do anything to threaten Changmin. It wasn’t something he had explicitly heard from the younger, but something he just  _ knew _ . The problem was Changmin - was he ready? Sharing meant revealing a vulnerability within himself that literally no one outside of his family knew about. It meant opening that Pandora’s box of emotions that he had forcefully stuffed into the corners of his mind until he was willing to sort through and embrace them. 

“Soon, Sunwoo. When I am ready.” Changmin finally murmured, after what felt like eons of silence stretching between them. He could see the hopeful smile on Sunwoo’s face droop immediately, but couldn’t bear to regret his words just yet. With those words, it felt like he had erected a wall between the two of them. Temporary or permanent, it depended on how long it took for him to come face to face with his fears and find  _ acceptance _ .

That Sunwoo meant more to him than just a friend, or a teammate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all I've got! Thank you all for checking this out and sorry for leaving you hanging like this :")

**Author's Note:**

> The summary sounds more dramatic than it actually is, because I never intended to finish this short drabble of mine. I just felt the need to post this, since it has been sitting in my drafts for quite some time. Perhaps I will get to it in the near future, or perhaps if someone wants to continue this idea for/with me? *wink wonk* For now, enjoy this little Sunkyu short! :")


End file.
